DIAGNOSTICO

students’ attitude, motivation, and self-confidence with regard to their predicative effects on the students’ willingness to communicate in English as a second language, in the context of studying abroad in Malaysia.

1.7 Research questions

This study is principally concerned with the extent of the relationships between the various variables that determine the communication skills. More specifically, this study will seek to answer the following questions:

1- What are the Arabic-speaking university students’ perceptions of their WTC in English and individual difference variables such as their self-perceived communication

competence (SPCC), language communication anxiety (LCA), motivation, and attitudes

towards the intercultural learning community, in the context of studying abroad in

Malaysia?

2- To what extent does the Arabic-speaking university students’ attitude towards intercultural community (Intercultural posture) affect their willingness to communicate in English as a second language, in the context of studying abroad in Malaysia?

3- To what extent does the Arabic-speaking university students' motivation affect their willingness to communicate in English as a second language, in the context of studying abroad in Malaysia?

4- To what extent does the Arabic-speaking university students' self-confidence affect their willingness to communicate in English as a second language, in the context of studying abroad in Malaysia?

5- What are the interdependence relationships among Arabic-speaking university students’ attitude, motivation, and self-confidence with regard to their predicative effects on willingness to communicate in English as a second language, in the context of studying abroad in Malaysia?

1.8 Significance of the study

This study can be considered as significant because it addresses the important issues of communication skills in study abroad programs. This study will prove to be beneficial for those who design and oversee study abroad programs. However, it is important to explore more fully how the various aspects of study abroad programs contribute to the desired outcomes. Moreover, many studies have focused on study

abroad outcomes from many perspectives. However, this study addresses the specific aspects of the experiences of studying abroad, which include the development of socio-psychological and communication behaviour, to understand how they contribute to students’ outcomes. This holds particular significance for both students and education ministries that send students abroad. In other words, with regard to the field of language learning and communication, this research is the first step towards exploring the willingness to communicate (WTC) in English among Arabic-speaking university students overseas, particularly, in Malaysia. Willingness to communicate has been offered as one of the key concepts in L2 learning and communication. Addressing willingness to communicate, together with several individual difference variables, is significant since it can help students understand how to promote the affective variables that will enhance their readiness to communicate in English.

Numerous studies have focused on language learning process but less on the actual use of it in everyday communication. Undoubtedly, the authentic use of it plays a crucial role in second language acquisition (SLA) (Hashimoto, 2002; Ellis, 1999). The actual use is indispensable for the development of productive skills such as speaking (Swain, 1998, cited in Hashimoto, 2002). Therefore, this study is significant because it is not like other studies that have focused mainly on students’ language proficiency, by grade gain or assessment test. It is significant because it depends on students who speak using the second language in a real context (a study abroad context). This study also has a number of theoretical and practical benefits. In terms of theory, this study is aimed at enriching the theoretical foundation of the L2 WTC construct in a study abroad context.

Furthermore, this study aims to expand Gardner’s integrativeness approach in the socio-educational model by developing students’ attitude towards intercultural learning community among the Arabic-speaking students who are pursuing their education in other countries. From a practical point of view, this study has pedagogical implications for English teaching and learning. A better understanding of students’ willingness to communicate while learning this language may help language teachers to realize and implement better strategies that would create more opportunities to promote communication and student engagement with intercultural encounters in the learning community.

The results of this study will highlight the importance of using English language in the real context that will facilitate intercultural communication competence. The findings of this study will contribute to the importance of Malaysian intercultural learning context for enhancing students’ willingness to communicate in English as a second language, as well as, to add to the body of knowledge the importance of the study abroad context for second language communication.

1.9 Limitation of the Study

Similar to any empirical investigation, this study conducted has some limitations. It is restricted only to Arabic-speaking university students in Malaysia. Furthermore, the present sample is limited to the International Islamic University’s students. Therefore, it cannot be generalized to include other universities in Malaysia.

There are also other variables, such as the learners' age, and gender that are unaccounted for in this study. Generally, all demographic information are not considered as variables in this study. The researcher recognizes the potential

include those variables in the current study. The English language is restricted only to intercultural communication interaction, particularly speaking in English. Other skills such as writing, are also not taken into consideration.

1.10 Definition of Terms

1.10.1 Willingness to Communicate (WTC)

In the first language context, WTC has been defined as an individual's trait-like predisposition, the probability that an individual will choose to communicate, specifically talking, when free to do so (McCrosky & Bear, 1985; McCrosky & McCrosky, 1988). Richmond and Roach (1992) have noted that “…willingness to communicate is the one, overwhelming communication personality construct, which permeates every facet of an individual's life and contributes significantly to the social, educational and organizational achievements of the individual” (p.104). In L2 communicating context, WTC is defined as a readiness to enter into discourse at a particular time with a specific person or persons, using a second language (MacIntyre et al., 1998). However, specific to this study context, WTC was defined by Oxford (1997) as “a student’s intention to interact with others in the target language, given the chance to do so” (p. 449).

The willingness to communicate scale was measured using 12 items, as developed by McCroskey (1992), to obtain information concerning how willing people are in a variety of communication contexts such as public, meeting, group, and dyad with the verity of the types of receivers such as stranger, acquaintance and friends.

1.10.2 Self–Confidence (SC)

Ganschow and Sparks (1991) suggested that a student's self-confidence is defined as his/her perception of the comfort of L2 communication. Onwueguzie et al. (2000) argued that the high level of self-confidence among students leads to more activity in interaction with target L2 group members, which helps them to achieve successful communication. Hence, language communication anxiety and perceived L2 competence represents one's self-confidence in language communication (Clement, 1980, 1986, 2003; MacIntyre, 1998; Yashima, 2002, Yashima et al., 2004).

1.10.3 Language Communication Anxiety (LCA)

Anxiety is defined as a subjective feeling of tension, apprehension, nervousness, and worry that is associated with an arousal of the automatic nervous system (Horwitz, Horwitz & Cope, 1986). Students, while abroad, may experience communication anxiety, which refers to the degree to which the student feels anxious towards speaking in English.

1.10.4 Self-Perceived Communication Competence (SPCC)

Self-perceived communication competence refers to a person’s evaluation of his/her ability to communicate (McCroskey & McCroskey, 1988). This term explains how an individual views his/her communication competence, based on self-awareness rather than the actual communication competence (McCroskey & Richmond, 1987). The self-perceived communication scale was developed to obtain information concerning how competent students feel when they are in a variety of communication contexts such as public, meeting, group, and dyad and with a verity of different types of receivers such as strangers, acquaintances, and friends.